


Sleeper

by delphinus



Category: Batman - All Media Types, Red Robin (Comics), Teen Titans (Comics)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Dark, Evil!Tim, F/M, I'm actually pretty proud of this one, but it will probably be a while, i will most likely write more of this, it maybe shouldn't have been as much fun to write as it was, lots of people are dead, lots of them - Freeform, more characters and probably just more in general to be added, though not as dark as it could be
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-04-21
Updated: 2015-04-21
Packaged: 2018-03-25 03:40:45
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 756
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3795337
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/delphinus/pseuds/delphinus
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Tim Drake is Ra's al Ghul's heir and Ra's is dead, for good this time. So Tim puts into action a plan years in the making.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Sleeper

A knife slides between Dick's ribs while he's standing in front of the Batcomputer. He knows instantly that the wound will be fatal in not very long. Fifteen minutes, tops. Someone catches him when his knees buckle and lowers him to the ground, careful not to jostle the knife. They rest his head in their lap and turn his face up so that he's looking them in the eye.

"Tim?" That's his little brother's face, but the expression on it isn't something Dick has ever seen before. It's like he's a different person; cold as ice and twice as hard.

"Hello, Dick."

"Tim, why?"

"You know, I had considered leaving you alive. Maybe keeping you as a pet. But it's just too big of a risk. You're too good not to find a way to escape, and I can't risk you messing up my operations." Tim's tone is conversational, as if he's talking about the weather and not about deciding to end Dick's life.

"Operations?" What operations?

"Ra's al Ghul is dead. Permanently this time. I'm the Demon's Head now. Just like he meant it to be."

What? But... "What about the others?" Dick isn't sure he wants to know, but he has to ask.

"The Titans, the JLA, and the other Bats are already either dead or neutralized. Rose has joined the League of Shadows. Bart and Kon are safe and happy in a virtual reality world that I personally built for them. They don't even know the difference. I wiped Jason's memory and set him up with a new life. Maybe he'll get it right this time. Unfortunately, sparing Cassandra was never an option. Neither was sparing Barbara. But Stephanie is currently unconscious and on her way to my base. She's safe and I intend to keep her that way for as long as possible. Everyone else is dead."

"Why?" Dick repeats, coughing. He squeezes his eyes shut against the pain. "What did we do to make you betray us?"

Tim laughs, gently brushing Dick's hair out of his face. "I was never on your side to begin with. The year before Jason died, I committed suicide. I took every pill in my parents medicine cabinet and then just went to sleep. I woke up to green water and a man telling me that my death was a waste of potential. That man was Ra's. I told him that I didn't want to live because I was tired of being alone. And do you know what he did, Dick? He pulled me to my feet, wrapped his cape around my shoulders, and promised I would never be alone again."

Dick's lips form a silent "oh" of understanding.

Tim smiles. "I knew you'd get it. Because you see, Dick, I'm more like you than you thought. Just like you, I would do anything for the man who pulled me out of the dark. He made me his heir, treated me like the son he'd always wanted. And I loved him for it. How could I not? Here, finally, was someone who actually cared, who wanted me around.

"It was my idea to bring the heroes down from the inside. Batman had just stopped another of Ra's' plans and Ra's was brooding. It was originally just a random thought, but we built on it and built on it until it was a plan ready to be put into action. All we needed was someone to be the sleeper agent - the mole, if you will - and since it was my plan, I volunteered. Ra's was reluctant, but he let me do it. It was easy enough to convince Batman to make me Robin. I worked my way up from there and now here we are."

Dick gives him a sad look. He doesn't really have the energy to say anything and he doesn't know what he'd say if he did. He's bleeding out on the floor of the Cave, his body cold and weak, but somehow he can't find it in himself to blame Tim. With his last bit of strength, he mouths, "Love you, little brother."

"I know, big brother. I love you too." Tim sighs, smiling wryly. "Sleep, Dick. I'll wake you up when it's time."

Dick's eyes slide shut. Tim waits until his shallow breathing finally slows to a stop, then stands up and walks away. Behind him, three ninja melt out of the shadows and pick up the body, following Tim out of the Cave as he leaves it for the last time.


End file.
